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Pilot's mental breakdown causes emergency landing
Early Wednesday, an Air Canada flight from Toronto to London Heathrow had to make an emergency landing in Ireland because the pilot apparently suffered a mental breakdown midair. BBC reports that he was shouting he wanted to "talk to God" when they were taking him off the plane.
After an 8-hour delay, all passengers eventually made it back to London. The pilot is now "in care". Something tells me his career as a commercial pilot is history...
###Ever seen a plane this cool?
Gallery: Singapore Airlines' Airbus A380
Filed under: Europe, North America, Canada, Airlines
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 11)
Jen Jan 30th 2008 3:07PM
These pilots don't even undergo medical evaluations.
I'm definitely not as excited about my next trip.
More info(and my thoughts)
Kevin Connor Jan 30th 2008 5:46PM
Actually, airline pilots get exhaustive physical check-ups at LEAST once per year, to maintain their first-class medical certificate, which is necessary to fly legally.
xbird Jan 31st 2008 8:49AM
Please don't post any more of your arbitrary thoughts, they only indicate depressingly poor research skills or a lack of common intellect.
The post above has already put far more effort into explaining than I'm willing to expend.
Sparky Jan 31st 2008 8:14PM
Idiot! They have more medical and mental health checkups than you obviously do! Why not make your next trip via FedEx?
Tom Jan 31st 2008 8:19PM
You might show up late to an important function if you don't fly.
Eileen Jan 31st 2008 8:33PM
Pilots are required to adhere to Fedreal regulations and do undergo physicals specific to pilots
Brandon Jan 31st 2008 8:38PM
Iwork in the airline industry and can tell you that commercial Airline pilots undergo class one physicals every six calander months in order to maintain their ATP (air transport pilot) certs and are some of the BEST persons that I know. I TRUST them with my life four or five times every week as I log several hundred thousand air miles annually
ambitious1 Jan 31st 2008 8:45PM
THANK GOD I DO NOT FLY FOR REASON THAT EVERYONE HAVE ISSUES IN HIS/HER LIFE AND MAYBE THIS WAS ONE OF THEM DAYS FOR THE PILOT. HE PROBABLY HAD THINGS GOING ON AT HOME
fgraybaker Jan 31st 2008 8:55PM
not a very wise comment to make?
zia630 Jan 31st 2008 10:43PM
My brother is a pilot for a major airline. Every 6 months he is given a medical/physical evaluation. Of great importance during those exams, is the pilots mental state. If you can't back up your blog, I would suggest deleting yourself from the blog
Bob Evans Jan 31st 2008 11:37PM
I have over thirty thousand hours in the air and have flown single engine props and jets and multi engine props and jets including the Boeing 747-400 and have never had another pilot on my crew become mentally incapacited during flight. This is the first that I have ever heard of it. This shows you how rare that it is.
Kat Jan 31st 2008 11:36PM
Maybe this pilot is not having a medical problem. Maybe he honestly just needed to talk to God.
Brian Feb 1st 2008 12:15AM
Jen,
You are very foolish if you believe that.We are required by Federal Regulation to have a medical evaluation every six months (at our own expense) and if we dont pass it we lose our job effective that day. How much do you spend on required medical check ups at your job?
suzanne Feb 1st 2008 12:53AM
Pilots must have physicals every year. An unknown fact is that without any warning someone from the FAA boards the flight and sits in the cockpit on a jump seat. Every single thing that the pilot does is
noted. If a pilot hits the wrong switch and catches the error it is recorded. One wrong thing that does not affect the flight can get a pilot grounded! Then they are subjected to different tests before they can even step onto a plane again. The restrictions are Federal and they do not cut any pilots any slack.
Eddie Lomeli Feb 1st 2008 1:25AM
All flight crewmwmbers are required by FAA regulations to pass a complete physical yearly. The pilots' physicals are much more extensive than the rest of the crew.
I was a "Loadmaster," in the US Air Force for over twenty years, and that is how it is, my responsibility was the well being of my passengers, if any, and the safe handling of the cargo in the aircraft.
This particular pilot just had a mental breakdown and that can happen to anyone at any time. However, I would be very surprised if he is allowed into the crew cabin in the future. His flying days are done, I'm afraid.
Bren Feb 1st 2008 10:40AM
Its sad that people would think the pilot would loose his job. We all are subject to nervous breakdowns just because of life stressors. You dont know that he isnt having marrital problems, maybe his wife or child has just been diagnosed with a major medical problem, maybe he has lost a parent or close friend to death, maybe he has found that a brother or sister is stung out on drugs and he feels helpless to help them. Threre are many reasons that we could collapse!! It isnt funny, nor is it a reason to loose your job if you can be successfully treated. I hope everyone will re-think that idea.
Catwoman Feb 1st 2008 2:34AM
Excuse me? Where do you get you info? Yes, they do undergo extensive medical evaluations. Now your mind should be at ease, and maybe you can get more excited about your next trip.
bangorstate03 Feb 1st 2008 4:39AM
Jen, Yea they do undergo exams to keep their license.
You think they just let them fly with any problems.
jacob Feb 4th 2008 2:44AM
You know absolutely nothing about commercial airline pilots because they actually have to get a 1st class medical physical every 6 months
dorothy burgess Feb 1st 2008 7:23AM
glory to god may he get allof the praise, in spite of the pilots condation, he was in his right mind, when he wanted to talk to god, who better . could he have talked to. it is a strang thing, if you say something about god, it is like you are ceazy, think about this, maybe god stop something from happening, he weill work that way some of us don't seem to understand . that god is all we have, and without him nothing workes in i live, i pray that he don't lose his job but if he does god will make a way for him, where there is good there is eviel satan could have tried to desroty him, if we let him , he will one thing for sure he wanted to talk to the right person, may god get the glory, it is a great thing to hear some one say i want to talk to god, amen